在线教育环境中学习共同体研究综述

随着信息技术与教育的深度融合, 蓬勃发展的在线教育已成为教育信息化进程的新常态, 并产生了海量的教育数据, 但也面临辍学率高、课程完成率低、监管不足等问题, 因此如何对海量教育数据进行挖掘和分析是解决这些问题的关键. 学习共同体是以学习者为核心要素的学习组织, 强调学习过程中学习者之间互动交流、资源共享以及协作学习等行为, 从而完成共同的学习任务或目标. 对在线教育环境中学习共同体的研究进行回顾、分析和展望. 首先, 介绍在线教育环境中学习共同体的背景与重要性. 其次, 介绍不同学科中学习共同体的定义. 然后, 总结同质、异质和混合3种类型学习共同体的构建方法. 接着, 从共享、协作和激励3个方面讨论学习共同体的管理机制. 最后, 探讨和展望学习共同体未来的研究方向.     

How media choice affects learner interactions in distance learning classes

In this research we explore aspects of learning, social interaction and community across online learning, also known as distance learning, in higher education. We measure the impact of online social networking (OSN) software versus traditional learning management system (LMS) software. Guided by a theoretical model for how individuals learn and interact within online communities, we measure student perceptions of learning, social interaction and course community before and after our interventions. Survey instruments measure perceived learning, social interaction and community, which we further explore using social network analysis (SNA). Survey results identified that students experienced higher levels of perceived social interaction and course community and, overall, had higher levels of satisfaction with OSN software than those using LMS software. Along this line, SNA results corroborated that OSN software yielded a higher number of interactions, providing a more engaging learning experience.     

Evaluating online solutions for experiential support of distance learning by teachers in China

This paper describes and assesses the development of an online solution for the experiential support of distance learning by teachers. Three hundred and forty-eight randomly selected K-12 teachers participated in this pilot study using the online learning environment designed in this research. Teachers' products, surveys, and interviews were collected and analysed. Results showed that the teacher-learners could learn as well as in face-to-face learning in an earlier implementation of the course. The learning support system as designed fits teacher-learners' needs. They benefited from learning communities formed online as well as face-to-face. More support for online discussion and example cases are needed to support experiential learning. Suggestions are made to improve the design of the learning support system and the pedagogy for experiential teacher learning.     

Open source software and the algorithm visualization community

Algorithm visualizations are widely viewed as having the potential for major impact on computer science education, but their quality is highly variable. We report on the software development practices used by creators of algorithm visualizations, based on data that can be inferred from a catalog of over 600 algorithm visualizations. Since nearly all are free for use and many provide source code, they might be construed as being open source software. Yet many AV developers do not appear to have used open source best practices. We discuss how such development practices might be employed by the algorithm visualization community, and how they might lead to improved algorithm visualizations in the future. We conclude with a discussion of OpenDSA, an open-source project that builds on earlier progress in the field of algorithm visualization and hopes to use open-source procedures to gain users and contributors.     

Evaluating peer learning and assessment in online collaborative learning environments

Transformation of learning and teaching in higher education now offers greater educational equality through enhanced access and collaboration within the framework of lifelong learning in the digital age. This study aims to evaluate online peer learning and assessment in the collaborative learning process in higher education practices. The study also investigates the impact of online peer learning on the development of skills within collaborative learning through the use of volunteered responses from learners concerning their experiences with and perceptions of online learning. Therefore, a quantitative approach is applied through the administration of a survey with 32 items that is distributed to 715 participants. According to the objective of the study, a set of inferential statistical analyses are performed. The theoretical framework of this study is the CHAT (cultural historical activity theory) which reconstructs the knowledge of learners through the application of the Adobe Connect program to demonstrate how learners can be collaborative and social with their peers in an online context. The results revealed that the collaborative online peer learning process in higher education encourages critical reflection and self-assessment. The study contributes to the understanding of the value of learner satisfaction in online collaborative learning environments through the experiences of learners.     

Writing power into online discussion

This article considers the way in which control of interaction emerges as a function of personal agency and external factors in a group of students engaged in online asynchronous text-based communication in a distance education program. It is structured around the argument that control is partly related to the power that individuals have to give effect to their wishes, but also acknowledges that this sense of agency is always in relation to the powers of others and more structural constraints. A picture emerges of the choices students make in deciding when to initiate discussion and respond to others, and about decisions concerning whose messages they would read and when. The impact of other students, of online groups, and instructors seems to play an important role in determining how participants participate in online interaction. Consideration of broader issues shows how the context in which students engage in interaction impacts the nature and extent of that interaction. The article concludes that being aware, and taking advantage of the socially grounded nature of online interaction provides the basis from which educators can act to ensure that interaction in online learning communities is enabling for the learning of all students.     

智能化的程序搜索与构造方法综述

互联网、机器学习、人工智能等技术的迅速发展以及大量开源软件和开源社区的出现给软件工程的发展带来了新的机遇和挑战.目前在互联网上已经存在了数十亿行的各类程序代码,这些代码中存在着各种知识,尤其是众多已被广泛使用、高质量的软件代码,由此催生了利用大规模代码资源中蕴涵的众多知识进行智能化软件开发的新思路.它试图充分利用互联网中存在的代码资源、知识和群体智慧,以有效提高软件开发的效率和质量,其核心技术是程序搜索与构造,具有非常重要的理论与应用价值.目前该方向的研究工作主要集中在代码搜索、程序合成、代码推荐与补全、缺陷检测、代码风格改善、程序自动修复等方面.本文从以上几个方面对当前的主要研究工作进行综述,对具体的理论和技术途径进行梳理,并在最后总结了目前该领域研究过程中面临的挑战,给出了建议的研究方向.     

Comparative case studies of open source software peer review practices

ContextThe power of open source software peer review lies in the involvement of virtual communities, especially users who typically do not have a formal role in the development process. As communities grow to a certain extent, how to organize and support the peer review process becomes increasingly challenging. A universal solution is likely to fail for communities with varying characteristics.ObjectiveThis paper investigates differences of peer review practices across different open source software communities, especially the ones engage distinct types of users, in order to offer contextualized guidance for developing open source software projects.MethodComparative case studies were conducted in two well-established large open source communities, Mozilla and Python, which engage extremely different types of users. Bug reports from their bug tracking systems were examined primarily, complemented by secondary sources such as meeting notes, blog posts, messages from mailing lists, and online documentations.ResultsThe two communities differ in the key activities of peer review processes, including different characteristics with respect to bug reporting, design decision making, to patch development and review. Their variances also involve the designs of supporting technology. The results highlight the emerging role of triagers, who bridge the core and peripheral contributors and facilitate the peer review process. The two communities demonstrate alternative designs of open source software peer review and their tradeoffs were discussed.ConclusionIt is concluded that contextualized designs of social and technological solutions to open source software peer review practices are important. The two cases can serve as learning resources for open source software projects, or other types of large software projects in general, to cope with challenges of leveraging enormous contributions and coordinating core developers. It is also important to improve support for triagers, who have not received much research effort yet.     

An investigation of student practices in asynchronous computer conferencing courses

This study investigated the online practices of students enrolled in graduate-level distance education courses. Using interviews and a questionnaire as data sources, the study sought to: (a) identify common practices that students adopt in asynchronous discussions, and (b) gain an understanding of why students adopt them. An analysis of the data suggests that many of the practices are coping mechanisms developed to help students more easily meet course participation requirements. Some of these are time saving strategies designed to reduce information overload (e.g., skimming messages rather than reading them carefully). Other strategies are designed to help students project an image of themselves as knowledgeable and collaborative course participants. It is argued that although these practices provide students with a level of efficiency in terms of meeting course requirements, they may inadvertently undermine learning.     

Processing: programming for the media arts

Processing is a programming language and environment built for the media arts communities. It is created to teach fundamentals of computer programming within the media arts context and to serve as a software sketchbook. It is used by students, artists, designers, architects, and researchers for learning, prototyping, and production. This essay discusses the ideas underlying the software and presents its relationship to open source software and the idea of software literacy. Additionally, Processing is discussed in relation to education and online communities.     

Language learners' digital literacies: Focus on students' information literacy and reading practices online

The widespread use of technology and the Internet have changed many of language learners' everyday practices, including literacies. While there have been many studies with the focus on language learners' digital literacies, few, however, have explored language learners' digital information literacy and online reading practices with the use of social bookmarking tools, especially in a community college setting. We address this gap by investigating community-college language learners' digital literacies when social bookmarking with the focus on digital information and online reading practices from an ecological perspective. In this qualitative multiple-case study, the focal participants were five English learners, students in an English as a Second Language writing course in a community college in the northeastern United States. Data collection included interviews, observations, and researchers' e-journals. Thorough within- and cross-case analysis of data shows that language learners searched for digital texts and evaluated them based on relevance, reliability, interest, language, and importance for them and their learning community in the social bookmarking tool. The participants struggled with the number of results in search engines, keywords, and evaluation of digital texts for relevance and reliability. We show the need for more instruction, support, and guidance of language learners' digital information literacy practices as well as the benefits of providing students with opportunities to read digital texts. Our suggestions for future research include investigating the role of multimodality and other factors that influence language learners' evaluation practices when they look for and read information online.     

Understanding metacomprehension accuracy within video annotation systems

While much research has been conducted on annotations and note-taking in the context of learning from static text and images, the influence of annotating instructional video upon metacognitive monitoring and learning remains unclear. This is an important issue because video annotation systems are gaining popularity in the practice of online and blended learning, but the conditions for effective implementation of such systems are still not well understood. This study explored the influence of video annotation conditions upon metacomprehension accuracy and learning performance with a group of 81 undergraduate students of various majors. Findings suggest that video annotation systems designed for simultaneous notetaking may have a deleterious effect upon metacognitive monitoring in general and metacomprehension in particular. Text-based strategies used to improve metacomprehension accuracy such as a delay in the production of a keyword to summarize the essence of an instructional topic do not appear to impact metacognitive performance in the context of video annotation. Interestingly, participants in the control condition (without annotation) performed as well in both learning performance and metacomprehension accuracy as their counterparts. These findings have implications for the design of video annotation systems and learner best practices in the use of video annotation, particularly in online and blended learning formats.     

Foundations of communities of practice: enablers and barriers to participation

This research draws upon community of practice theory to explore the factors that enabled or hindered participation in an online 'Foundations of Communities of Practice' workshop – a course that is designed to align with Wenger's communities of practice perspective. The research used a mixed methods approach, drawing upon log-on and posting data, questionnaires and semi-structured interviews to explore participant experiences. The findings show that five dimensions either enabled or constrained participation. These were emotion, technology, connectivity, understanding norms and learning tensions. As enablers these dimensions led to successful participation within an online community of practice, but as constraints, they led to peripheral participation. The findings highlight implications for tutors of such courses. These include the need to (1) assess the technical expertise of participants, particularly when a number of different technological tools are used; (2) find ways to identify and evaluate emotional responses so learners can be supported in managing these; (3) ensure that participants understand the norms of a community; and (4) develop clear induction materials and processes.     

Understanding user motivation for evaluating online content: a self-determination theory perspective

In a digital society, people have access to all kinds of electronic information as online users. They have also contributed various content for exchanging ideas in the online community, which has not only extended the traditional knowledge sharing channels, but has also led to concerns about content quality and reliability. The literature suggests that user involvement in collaboratively evaluating the quality of online content for an online community is likely to be an effective means to ease these concerns. However, the understanding of users' intentions to be willing to take part in evaluating online content is still limited. Based on self-determination theory, this study proposes a research model to understand the extrinsic motivation of the user intention. The research model was tested using data collected from 303 participants who were recruited from online communities. The results show that three types of extrinsic motivation, namely identified motivation, introjected motivation, and external motivation, play an important role in user intention of collaboratively evaluating online content. In addition, the research findings suggest that user satisfaction of the three basic psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness influences different types of extrinsic motivation.     

An empirical study of open-source and closed-source software products

We describe an empirical study of open-source and closed-source software projects. The motivation for this research is to quantitatively investigate common perceptions about open-source projects, and to validate these perceptions through an empirical study. We investigate the hypothesis that open-source software grows more quickly, but does not find evidence to support this. The project growth is similar for all the projects in the analysis, indicating that other factors may limit growth. The hypothesis that creativity is more prevalent in open-source software is also examined, and evidence to support this hypothesis is found using the metric of functions added over time. The concept of open-source projects succeeding because of their simplicity is not supported by the analysis, nor is the hypothesis of open-source projects being more modular. However, the belief that defects are found and fixed more rapidly in open-source projects is supported by an analysis of the functions modified. We find support for two of the five common beliefs and conclude that, when implementing or switching to the open-source development model, practitioners should ensure that an appropriate metrics collection strategy is in place to verify the perceived benefits.     

Extending the TAM model to explore the factors that affect Intention to Use an Online Learning Community

An online learning community enables learners to access up-to-date information via the Internet anytime–anywhere because of the ubiquity of the World Wide Web (WWW). Students can also interact with one another during the learning process. Hence, researchers want to determine whether such interaction produces learning synergy in an online learning community. In this paper, we take the Technology Acceptance Model as a foundation and extend the external variables as well as the Perceived Variables as our model and propose a number of hypotheses. A total of 436 Taiwanese senior high school students participated in this research, and the online learning community focused on learning English. The research results show that all the hypotheses are supported, which indicates that the extended variables can effectively predict whether users will adopt an online learning community. Finally, we discuss the implications of our findings for the future development of online English learning communities.     

Effects of real‐time visual feedback on pre‐service teachers' singing

This pilot study focuses on the use real‐time visual feedback technology (VFT) in vocal training. The empirical research has two aims: to ascertain the effectiveness of the real‐time visual feedback software ‘Sing & See’ in the vocal training of pre‐service music teachers and the teachers' perspective on their experience with VFT. Forty participants from an undergraduate music teacher education programme were randomly assigned to three groups. The first two groups were assigned the teacher and student versions of Sing & See, respectively, and the third group served as a control group without access to the software. The experimental groups were given 12 weeks to use the software for vocal training on a self‐regulated basis. The technique of complex selections (TCS) was designed to assess the pitch accuracy and richness of vocal timbre. Pre‐ and post‐test singing tasks showed that the participants from the experimental groups significantly improved their vocal timbre. A questionnaire survey conducted after the training period found that most of the participants in the experimental s were positive about the effectiveness of VFT software in vocal training. As future leaders in the implementation of music education technology, pre‐service music teachers expressed a positive attitude towards the use of VFT as a technology‐enhanced learning (TEL) component in music education.     

Proposing the online community self-disclosure model: the case of working professionals in France and the U.K. who use online communities

The global use of online communities has exploded to involve hundreds of millions of users. Despite the tremendous social impact and business opportunities afforded by these communities, little information systems (IS) research has addressed them – especially in a cross-cultural context. Our research proposes an online community self-disclosure model, tested in a cross-cultural setting using data provided by French and British working professionals. Our model is based on social exchange theory (SET) and social penetration theory (SPT), as well as on cross-cultural theory related to individualism-collectivism. SET explains that individuals engage in relationships when the perceived costs associated with the relationship are less than the expected benefits. SPT extends SET to explain that individuals participate in self-disclosure to foster relationships – reciprocation is the primary benefit of self-disclosure, whereas risk is the foundational cost of self-disclosure. Our study established several important findings: positive social influence to use an online community increases online community self-disclosure; reciprocity increases self-disclosure; online community trust increases self-disclosure; and privacy risk beliefs decrease self-disclosure. Meanwhile, a tendency toward collectivism increases self-disclosure. We further found that French participants had higher scores on horizontal individualism than British participants. Several other findings and their implications for practice are also discussed.     

Assessing process in CSCL: An ontological approach

Educational technology innovations enable students to collaborate in online educational tasks, across individual, institutional, and national boundaries. However, online interactions across these boundaries are seldom transparent to each other. As a result, students are not motivated to share their best learning practices. Also, there is no singular basis on which one can compare learning practices of multiple students. In addressing these problems, we offer a solution that encourages students to record and share their learning interactions using our ontology-oriented theory-centric software tool. In doing so, students not only observe the products of their learning but also the process of how they learnt. These unique and computationally formal recordings of learning interactions not only allow educators to observe how learners learn, but also provide opportunities for learners to reflect on their understanding of meta-cognitive processes that they employed or neglected in their learning. Further, these recordings feed our software system to autonomously analyze students’ learning behaviour and to actively promote self- and co-regulation among learners. This article presents the need for such a system, the architecture of the system, and concludes with key experimental observations from software prototypes.     

The effect of email invitation elements on response rate in a web survey within an online community

In the research of online communities and web survey methodology little is known about how elements in email invitations to list-based web surveys can be used to obtain higher response rates. In the present work, we investigated whether making authority, plea for help, and sense of community salient in email invitations determines the response of survey participants. Drawing from both survey methodology and recent research on online communities, this study also tested a hypothesis on the relationship between activity in an online community and survey response. Using a full-factorial experiment based on a simple random sample of 2500 members from the largest online health community in Slovenia, the results support only the hypothesis that plea for help is an effective response-inducing element in email invitations. Furthermore, the results support the hypotheses that online community activity, related to the frequency of visits and number of posts to an online community, are positively associated with response in list-based web survey. Since this study also shows that combining more than one element in email invitations does not necessary improve response rates, web survey research and practice may benefit from future research on this topic.